You know, looking back over the raw footage I see now that Gena lied to me about Jackie. Apparently Jackie DOES know that I’m an author and HAS read me. Gena is due for a stern talking to.

When I look at this video, I remember that we’d gotten up at 4 that morning to catch a flight to California – only for all three of us to arrive in time for the worst earthquake in the LA area since 1994. My friend Kassia did tell me the earthquake was my fault, but I was only defending Oklahoma. She mentioned something about deadly tornadoes, but really – you can run away from those! Five minutes later…the earth moved. And not in a good way.

Luckily Jackie survived, only to be with us here at Author Talk. Two words: LUCKY GIRL!

The only complaint we’ve received about this video – people needed more sprayed water.

Hotter Than Hell

Hell on Earth, Book 3

The incubus Daunuan loves his job: seduce a lot of mortals, bring their souls to Hell, party at the best interdimensional pub this side of the Astral Plane. But when the King of Lust makes him an offer he can’t refuse, Daun has to give up all the tricks of his trade to properly befriend—and bed—Virginia Reed, a woman who’s meant for Heaven.

If he can get her to love him for the incubus he really is, and if he can avoid the rogue demons that are hell-bent on destroying him for reasons unknown, Daun will become the First Principal of Lust, second in line to the King. But Daun learns that love is more than a four-letter word, and that maybe, just maybe, demons really do have feelings after all…

Jezebel’s not your average exotic dancer. For one thing, she’s a 4,000-year-old succubus. For another, she’s on the run from Hell (which isn’t easy to do in high heels). Hiding on the mortal coil as a human doesn’t protect her from muggers, lactose intolerance…or having feelings for Paul Hamilton, a man haunted by his past. Demons are closing in, which is enough to make Jezebel shiver in her G-string. But it’s her love for Paul that’s going to have deadly consequences. (Humans, she laments, really should come with instruction manuals.)

Hell’s Belles arrives in bookstores September 2. You can pre-order it here.

You can visit Jackie’s website here, and the latest news on Jackie on her blog here.

If the writing thing doesn’t pan out for Nora Roberts, she definitely has a second career in home repair. The toilet worked perfectly the rest of the week. It was just too bad she left before she could check the light.

Looking back now at the interview we did with Vicki Lewis Thompson (which you can see here), there is a slight resemblance between the actress we “hired” to play Nora and the real Nora. I should have been more supportive to the actress JD because she really did try her best. It’s not her fault she didn’t sound or act like Nora.

The fact that Gena and I were interviewing Nora Roberts was truly the worst kept secret of my life, and believe me, I have spilled the beans on a lot of secrets, so this being the worst kept is saying A LOT. Normally, Gena and I do shroud the identity of our guests until the videos go live. I mean let’s face it, I could screw up so many things before making the video a reality on youtube. There’s the uploading, and the editing and a million other details…

But how can you keep Nora Roberts a secret? Our typical conversations about the subject went like this. “I can’t tell you who it is, but her initials are NORA ROBERTS!!!”

And like her skills with a wrench, or a pen, Nora was a pro at acting as well. She never flubbed a line or missed a cue. A way better actress than Gena or I could be. Not that that’s saying much, but Nora deserves her props.

In her book Tribute, Cilla McGowan, a former child star, has come to her grandmother’s farmhouse, tools at her side, to rescue it from ruin. Sadly, no one was able to save her grandmother, the legendary Janet Hardy. An actress with a tumultuous life, Janet entertained glamorous guests and engaged in decadent affairs—but died of an overdose in this very house more than thirty years earlier. To this day, Janet haunts Cilla’s dreams.

Plunging into the project with gusto, she’s almost too busy to notice her neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer—but his lanky form, green eyes, and easy, unflappable humor are hard to ignore. Determined not to perpetuate the family tradition of ill-fated romances, Cilla steels herself against Ford’s quirky charm, but she can’t help indulging in a little fantasy.

But love and a peaceful life may not be in the cards for Cilla. In the attic, she has found a cache of unsigned letters suggesting that Janet Hardy was pregnant when she died—and that the father was a local married man. Cilla can’t help but wonder what really happened all those years ago. The mystery only deepens with a series of intimidating acts and a frightening, violent assault. And if Cilla and Ford are unable to sort out who is targeting her and why, she may—like her world-famous grandmother— be cut down in the prime of her life.

You can learn more about Nora Roberts by visiting her website here, and look the actress we hired writes, too! You can visit her here. To discuss all things Nora, visit the adwoff message board here.

After the interview, Gena confided that Nora told her she liked Gena way better than me. Being my best friend, she just couldn’t keep that burden to herself. Did Nora Roberts really say that? She DID give a quote for Gena:

“I have read Gena Showalter.”

Nora Roberts

Later I ran into Nora and asked her casually about it. Nora just shook her head, and I knew. I knew.

After interviewing tens of tens of authors, my original premise that authors are difficult still stands. Only now I can add a new element…actresses are difficult, too. They don’t want to play their assigned roles or even wear their nametags (as seen at the end of the Vicki Lewis Thompson interview here).

A few years ago, I purchased my very first Blaze novel. It was Notorious by none other than Vicki Lewis Thompson. I was hooked, and knew immediately THIS was the kind of book I wanted to write. Of course, I paid Vicki Lewis Thompson back by asking her inappropriate questions in our interview, and sort of kind of promising Nora Roberts would show up during our interview. Maybe it was a good thing she walked out before the interrogation was complete since all we had to give her was the bottle of water Gena was holding.

Vicki is not only a New York Times Bestselling author she is also one class act!!!

Vicki’s newest series is her Hex Series – stories about matchmaking witches and wizards. And trust me, you don’t want to ask if t hey went to Hogwarts. Over Hexed kicked it all off just last year. Banished. Until their unconventional techniques landed them in hot water, Dorcas and Ambrose were thematchmaking sex therapists for lovelorn witches and wizards. The Grand High Wizard has exiled them to the very conventional and unmagical town of Big Knob, Indiana, Pop. 947. But that doesn’t mean they’ve given up matchmaking…

Now they’re doing it for mere mortals—although all agree: Sean Madigan is something of a god. Because he’s tired of being the town sex object, Dorcas and Ambrose strip him of his appeal and then introduce him to his destiny, Maggie Grady. This time winning a girl’s heart won’t be so easy for Sean. It means rediscovering the charms buried beneath a gorgeous surface. You can purchase Over Hexed by going here.

Wild and Hexy hit bookstands in June. Vicki describes the story line beautifully in the video, but here’s a quick synopsis.

After gaining twenty pounds, former Dairy Festival Queen Annie Winston dreads going back to Big Knob, Indiana. But Annie hasn’t changed half as much as her home town ever since Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell moved in. Former matchmakers for witches and wizards, they’re now plying their unconventional trade for humans—and they have the perfect match for Annie: shy computer whiz Jeremy Dunstan, who’s always lusted after Annie. Now he’s got a second chance—if only something could help him unleash his wild side.

Next up in March 2009 is Casual Hex. And believe me, this is hard to say, even for a seasoned, professional journalist like myself. Go on – say it.

Wallflower Gwen Dubois is shocked to find herself desired by two men — a bad-boy fairy prince (Leo) and a gorgeous French botanist (Marc). Matchmaking witch and wizard Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell pit their magic powers against Prince Leo’s to make sure Gwen’s soul mate Marc wins the day. Even George the Dragon gets into the fight. You can pre-order Casual Hex (say it fast) by going here.

A computer screen doesn’t due this cover justice – it’s gorgeous!

You can visit Vicki Lewis Thompson’s website here. Vicki also blogs! Join her along with Rhonda Nelson and Jennifer LaBrecque at The Soapbox Queens.

Turns out the actress we hired is kind of a big deal…go figure. Sometimes you just luck out. To learn more about our actress go here.